Megadeth’s vital, Platinum-certified album, Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?, has been digitally remastered for the first time and expanded for a commemorative 25th Anniversary release in multiple configurations on July 12 by Capitol/EMI. All of the versions, including a 2CD lift-top box, digital album, and a deluxe 5Disc+3LP box set, include a previously unreleased 1987 concert from the band’s first world tour and new liner notes written by Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and Metallica’s Lars Ulrich.

The deluxe box set also includes previously unreleased and rare mixes of the album’s tracks and hi res audio for the remastered album and concert, as well as an expanded 20-page book, plus 8”x10” photos and reproductions of vintage Megadeth memorabilia. The cover of the box uses a new, unique process of lenticular 3D which reinterprets the original cover, creating the illusion of Megadeth’s Vic Rattlehead character jumping out of the art.

Released in 1986, Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? was Megadeth’s second album and the band’s first Capitol/EMI release. The acclaimed album thrust Megadeth into the international spotlight, and it remains a powerful thrash metal staple.

In his liner notes for the new edition, Dave Mustaine reflects on writing the album’s title track: “I had written other lyrics by now, but there was something different about ‘Peace Sells’ because it told my story about my faith; my beliefs; my distrust of government; my work ethic; my integrity. This was MY song.”

“If there’s a new way, I’ll be the first in line”

“Amen!,” continues Mustaine. “I was so tired of not shaving, not bathing, not eating, not having a home, a companion, NOTHING. Yeah, I’ll be the first in line, but it had better work this time. Well, it was working, thank God, just fast enough for what I needed, but not nearly as fast as I would hope.”

“Whether you heard this record for the first time in 1986, or you hear this record for the first time today or tomorrow, Peace Sells is a great heavy metal album,” writes Lars Ulrich in his liner notes for the new edition. “Nothing more, nothing less. It has stood the test of time. And will continue to do so.”

Dave Mustaine pioneered the hugely successful Megadeth after his departure from Metallica. Beginning with the band’s 1985 debut album,Killing Is My Business…And Business Is Good!, and evolving through a shifting series of lineups, Megadeth has crafted a dynamic, intelligent style that combines the aggressiveness of thrash metal, the improvisational nature of jazz, and cynical, articulate, politically-charged lyrics into an innovative mix that has built a rabid worldwide following.

For nearly three decades, Megadeth has taken heavy metal into the future – musically, lyrically, and culturally. The band has enjoyed great success on Billboard’s album and single charts, including three Top 10 titles on the Top 200 Albums chart and four Top 10 Modern Rock singles, “Almost Honest,” “Trust,” “Breadline,” and “Crush ‘Em.”

With defiance and grace, through unusual quality and intelligence, Megadeth has raised a generation on a diet of truth serum and bitter pills. Instead of being kicked to the curb for their insolence, they’ve been rewarded with nine Grammy Award nominations, six Gold, five Platinum, and one double Platinum albums, and three Gold-certified DVD releases, in addition to last year’s double Platinum concert DVD,The Big 4: Live From Sofia, Bulgaria.

Wake Up DeadThe ConjuringThe ConjuringPeace SellsBad OmenDevil’s IslandRattleheadGood Mourning/Black FridayKilling Is My Business… And Business Is GoodBad OmenLooking Down The CrossI Ain’t SuperstitiousMy Last WordsMy Last WordsPeace Sells These Boots Were Made For Walkin’ Devils Island Last Rites / Loved To Deth Mechanix

Rising US hard rock quartet, ZeroKing have released their new Ep, A Taste Of Self Destruction through Vanity Music Group. The five tracks on offer, “Girls Of California“, “Stone Cold Bitch“, “She Said“, “Black Friday” and “Kings Of Self Destruction” are all pulled from the band’s sophomore release, Kings Of Self Destruction, which drops on 27 September 2011.

“After the release of our digital single, we wanted to make those songs available at our shows as well,” frontman, Andy Haught says. “So, we decided to package those along with three other songs from the ‘Kings …’ record that are staples in our live set. The next logical decision was to make all 5 songs available online as either single tracks or as a very affordable digital EP. We feel this is a great way to get these songs out quickly to our fans while we are shoring up the release details for “KOSD” and help spread our name and music more to build both our fanbase and the anticipation for the full length CD.”

Formed in Huntington, West Virginia in early 2005, the band has shared the stage with artists such as Anthrax, Twisted Sister, Bobaflex, Jackyl, Dope, Black Stone Cherry, Airbourne and many more, becoming the “go to” band for regional promoters needing a secure draw and an act that can step into the ring with anyone. The band has gone on to play events such as Rocklahoma, X Fest,103.1 The Bear’s ‘Party Like A Rockstar’ Festival, and Bearfest, amongst a host of other high profile events.

In the summer of 2009 ZeroKing entered Smash Hit Studios in Huntington, WV., to begin tracking the Kings Of Self Destruction album with producer and engineer Steve Riley. Comprised of 13 tracks, the session produced a tour de force of hard rock and metal. From anthemic rockers, to songs chock full of heavy metallic riffage, the album contains more than enough to satiate fans of new school, old school, and everything in between. As if all that wasn’t enough, the session produced a couple of melodic, captivating ballads, showcasing yet another strong dimension of the band.

RIVAL SONS’ “PRESSURE AND TIME” FEATURED AS iTUNES FREE DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK

As excitement for “America’s best new band” (Classic Rock Magazine) continues to spread like wildfire across Europe and North America, California blues-rockers RIVAL SONS have caught the ears of iTunes who are offering their hot new single “Pressure and Time” as the featured download of the week.

Beginning today, fans are invited to download the new single exclusively from iTunes for free at http://bit.ly/ml59Gd as well as purchase the hotly anticipated new album Pressure and Time with two bonus songs for $7.99 here http://j.mp/jnpcLp.

Additionally, Pressure and Time is due to be released in North America on CD and limited edition vinyl LP on July 26th. Pre-order it now athttp://j.mp/mtaFfm.

Pressure and Time features ten incredible tracks of raucous, blues-infused rock ‘n’ roll from one of America’s hottest new bands!

RIVAL SONS bassist ROBIN EVERHART discusses the album:
“Pressure & Time was done exactly like we did ‘Before the Fire’. We wrote the tunes that day, all together in the room with our producer, Dave Cobb. Sometimes it was easy, other times one or two of us would hate what was going on – but always, amazingly, we all love what ended up going down to tape. It keeps it real interesting for us – and hopefully it translates to the audience. The discovery process is always the most interesting. It’s a very jazz-like aesthetic. A lot of the songs are comprised of mostly first-takes. Sometimes second-takes. So, there’s very little premeditation in our playing. Anyone can lock themselves in a studio and polish their turds for months on end; then you see them live, and they SUCK or they have to play with tracks ’cause they’ve fallen in love with their shiny turd so much they don’t even want to try and recreate it for fears of coming up short. We are not afraid to come up short – we have bad shows, but they are guaranteed to be honest representations of how we are feeling that day, same with our album.”

RIVAL SONS guitarist SCOTT HOLIDAY adds:
“When we recorded the song ‘Pressure and Time’, it was maybe the third or fourth song we finished. Jay had come up with the line, and when we drove home that night I told them I think it’s a very appropriate title for the record. We still had more than half the record ahead of us, so yes, there was some pressure, with little time, but also it was more of a general feeling about life, how in all walks of life we suffer this ‘pinch’ of pressure and time… It’s universal, and has a bit of conflict and tension in there.

The idea behind recording in such a short time, or seemingly ‘limiting’ ourselves is simple: rock ‘n’ roll has become over-produced and over-worked, leaving minimal or no room for things like danger, visceral energy or capturing an immediate or instinctual reaction in the moment – which, of course, are the building blocks of rock ‘n’ roll! We wanted to keep those elements in our recorded music and thought this would be the coolest, most insured way to do it. In doing this, we are forced to just play what feels ‘right’, and even if something’s not ‘perfect’, we know we were looking for a feeling happening in the room when we captured it together. Rock ‘n’ roll is not perfect, but the best of it is definitely DANGEROUS and IMMEDIATE; that’s what we strived for.”

Black Tide have just released “That Fire,” the latest single from their forthcoming album Post Mortem. Fans can hear the newly released track on SoundCloud, as well as download it from iTunes now. The official video for “That Fire” will premiere Thursday, June 23rd onIGN.com. For a sneak preview of the new video, fans can check out the behind-the-scenes footage from the video and hear the band describe the song’s dynamic of having a girlfriend and another girl on the side.

Like what you hear from “That Fire,” and the already released “Walking Dead Man,” from Black Tide’s Post Mortem? Then make sure to check out Black Tide on this year’s Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival starting August 26th. For all the upcoming tour dates and frequent updates from the band, check out Black Tide’s official website, www.blacktidemusic.com, as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages. Post Mortem hits stores everywhere August 26th!

TESLA TO RELEASE TWISTED WIRES AND THE ACOUSTIC SESSIONS ON JULY 12TH FEATURING THE NEW SONGS “SECOND STREET” AND “BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU”

2011 MARKS TESLA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Rock group Tesla will be releasing Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions on July 12th. The album will feature 6 tracks that were recorded back in 2005 at bassist Brian Wheat’s J STREET RECORDERS studio (which are the last recordings with original member Tommy Skeoch) and 6 newly recorded tracks which include acoustic remakes of songs from their entire catalog and two brand new songs called “Second Street” and “Better Off Without You.” Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions is the follow up to 2008’s Forever More.

2011 also marks the 25th anniversary of the band! To stay updated on everything Tesla visit their Official Site and Facebook page.

All Time Low are preparing to hit the road for the “Gimme Summer Ya Love” Tour in support of the band’s recently released album, Dirty Work. All Time Low will be joined by bands such as The Starting Line, Cartel, The Cab and more. To celebrate the tour and the new album, All Time Low and Hard Rock Hideout would like to hook up 1 fan on each date of the tour with a pair of tickets. 5 of those winners will receive a copy of the Sims Generations game which includes the band’s first single, “I Feel Like Dancin,'” sung in gibberish.

EPICENTER–Southern California’s Rock Festival–is set for Saturday, September 24 at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, CA. The day-long rock festival will feature headliners Limp Bizkit in their first Southern California show in over a decade and their first American live performance of 2011.

“Limp Bizkit is back, more dangerous and contagious than ever with our original lineup, NEW album Gold Cobra, and EPICENTER to take your rock and roll fantasy past the extreme,” says Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit. “I promise this will be a party you do NOT want to miss. EPICENTER will be our first and only Southern California shindig. And fellas, don’t be mad that EPICENTER will be filled with women…that’s how we roll.”

“EPICENTER IS Southern California’s Rock Festival,” says Gary Spivack,co-executive producer of the event for Right Arm Entertainment. “With our partners at Live Nation and Monster Energy we are now able to give Southern California rock fans what they want…a ROCK festival to call their own. From the opening band all the way through Limp Bizkit‘s first area show in a decade, EPICENTER will be a non-stop day of amazing entertainment.”

“I’m excited about our partnership with Right Arm Entertainment,” says Rich Best, Senior Vice President of Booking for Live Nation/So-Cal. “After just two years, EPICENTER is now known as one of the major festivals of the summer concert season. Credibility with the audience is everything, and with EPICENTER, rock fans know they are going to get a killer lineup at a great value. We can’t wait to get started on the 2011 edition. “

EPICENTER is presented by Right Arm Entertainment (creators of Columbus, Ohio’s annual Rock On The Range, which this year celebrated its fifth anniversary, and Carolina Rebellion in Charlotte, NC), Live Nation and Monster Energy. Additional sponsors include Gibson and Ubisoft.

Check out the video clip, “Final Hour” from the band, No Sky Today. No Sky Today features Wayne Findlay (M.S.G./SLAVIOR) on guitars/keyboards, Paul Jones (ROBOT LORDS OF TOKYO) on vocals, Joe Viers (Robot Lords Of Tokyo) on bass, B.Rad Dettmer on drums and Kelle Rhoads (Randy’s Brother) on piano. This song is from No Sky Today’s self-titled debut album. (Available Here)

You can check out additional songs from No Sky Today in the widget below!

MR. BIG will once again unleash their brand of brutal fury on their first U.S. tour in 15 years starting July 30th, in SanDiego at the 4th & B. Returning fresh from a successful run of tour dates overseas, vocalist Eric Martin, guitarist Paul Gilbert, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Pat Torpey, will be hitting the road in the United States this summer in support of the band’s new album, WHAT IF… “Man, it’s been a long time,” states guitarist Paul Gilbert. I can’t wait to play our first show in AMERICA in about 15 years. It’s gonna be huge!”

«What If… » is MR. BIG’s first all original album since the reunion of the four original members, Eric Martin, Paul Gilbert, Billy Sheehan and Pat Torpey back in early 2009. Sixteen years after the release of « Hey Man », the new recording is set to bring back MR. BIG on the height of the current Hard Rock scene.

Guitarist Paul Gilbert said: “This is the first MR. BIG album I have been a part of, since fourteen years and it was done in a snap. It was fun and we had really a good time in making this one”. Continues Billy Sheehan “It’s so great to be back with Paul, Eric and Pat too. We wrote this record like we did in the old days for the first 2 records. Jamming together in the same room to write songs”. Pat Torpey adds ““Some of the recording process is different now from what we were used to in the old times. But I think this record really managed to capture the performances of the band, not of the individual musicians”.

Their hits included “To Be With You” (Billboard Hot 100 number one single in 15 countries for weeks, in 1991, propelling the band the band to huge international success and record sales in the multi-millions), “Wild World”, Green-Tinted sixties Mind”, “Just Take My Heart”, and a host of heavy metal songs that were played mostly during their live performances: “Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy”, “Addicted to that Rush”, “Colorado Bulldog”, and “Take Cover”.

“What If…” is released in a special edition CD + DVD in digipak, regular CD, vinyl and digital download and in a limited edition luxury box including the CD, DVD, LP and exclusive memorabilia.

“What If…” track-listing includes: Undertow; American Beauty; Stranger In My Life; Nobody Takes the Blame; Still Ain’t Enough for Me; Once Upon a Time; As Far As I Can See; All The Way Up; I Won’t Get In My Way; Around The World; I Get The Feeling; Unforgiven (exclusive bonus track for Europe / North America – not on vinyl edition).

The DVD will include the video clips of “Undertow” and “All the Way Up” plus a documentary “Making of” the album including interviews and exclusive behind the scenes features of the four members.

In other Mr. Big news, the next single from the new album, “American Beauty,” will ship to radio in July in support of the tour.

It was a rockin’ story of three different bands at the Phoenix Hill Tavern on Saturday Night. The three bands on the bill this evening was Emphatic, Pop Evil and Crossfade. All three bands are at different areas in their career, and every band has new music offerings in the very near future.

Emphatic is a new band trying gain a new fan base (and succeeding). Pop Evil is on their way to the top with their recent appearances at Rock at the Range & Rocklahoma. Crossfade had a ton of success with their debut album, and have been fighting to get back to the top of the rock heap ever since then.

Other than seeing their name in some recent press releases for the up and coming Carnival of Madness Tour, I knew absolutely nothing about the band Emphatic. I haven’t heard any of their music prior to this show. They quickly won me over with their energetic live set and catchy tunes. (Check out their song & video “Bounce” here.) Their new CD, Damage is coming out on July 12th. Judging from the tunes I heard in their live set, this is one CD that you will need to get!!

I have seen Pop Evil a few times over the last couple of years and they never disappoint. On this Saturday evening, the band’s performance was quite electric. Leigh Kakaty is a great front man, and knows how to get the crowd revved up. He had the crowd at Phoenix Hill Tavern energized and singing along with all of their songs.

Pop Evil’s set list had the following songs: “Breathe”, “Broken”, “Somebody Like You”, “Monster You Made”, “Daisy Chain”, “Shinedown”, “Save the World”, “Boss’ Daughter”, “100 in a 55”, “Last Man Standing” and “Hero”. I thought the band was going to bring the roof down when they performed “Last Man Standing” the new track off of their up and coming CD, War of Angels (which will be released July 5th)! There is a half sized wall that separates the pit area in front of the stage from the fans who prefer to sit at a table. Leigh Kakaty used this wall as his personal stage and got up close and personal with the fans, while singing “Last Man Standing”. This made for one unforgettable show from Pop Evil.

I may be biased, but I thought Pop Evil stole the show Saturday night. They were great, and the crowd loved them!

Crossfade was the headliner for the evening, and they quickly proved that they too were a force to be reckoned with. Crossfade had a pretty nice light show set up behind them that looked really cool while they played, but it made it pretty tough to get good photos. The band was pretty entertaining to watch nonetheless.

Les Hall had some pretty cool guitars that he changed out often during Crossfade’s set. He was a lot of fun to watch play. Ed Sloan was in fine vocal form all night. Mark Castillo was letting the drumsticks fly all night. Crossfade played a few of their new songs off of their new CD, We All Bleed (due out today, June 21st) including: “Lay Me Down”, “Dead Memories”, “Dear Cocaine”, “Killing Me Inside”, “We All Bleed” and “Make Me a Believer”. The rest of the set included the songs “Starless”, “Colors”, “Already Gone”, “Drown You Out”, “Dear Caine”, “So Far Away”, and “Cold”.

While I thought Crossfade was pretty good live, I thought Pop Evil was the band of the evening, but all three bands help to deliver a great night of rock in Louisville, Kentucky on Saturday night!

It is not very often when a piece of music has me excitedly breaking out some old CD’s in my collection, but that is exactly what the new CD single from Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan has done. The two new songs “Out of Mind” and “Holy Water” are splendid metal offerings from Iommi, Gillan and friends to help raise funds for the rebuilding of a music school in Gyumri, Armenia.

I enjoyed both of these songs greatly, and had only left me wanting more. I had to break out my copy of the 1983 Black Sabbath classic Born Again, which featured Ian Gillan on vocals. It isn’t a CD that I listen to very often, but this new CD single shows that there may be something more to a collaboration between Gillan and Iommi. These elder statesmen of hard rock and metal have put together two very solid tracks, which are worth every penny of your hard-earned money.

Who Cares? Tony Iommi and Ian Gillan cared enough to create this music for a good cause, and we the music fans get to reap the benefits. Sure, I wish there were more tracks, but the two songs here are excellent. Don’t miss this!